Refrigerator box



J. H, ORLEY Filed Feb. 18, 1944 m Jose 06H Orfey Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR BOX Joseph H. Orley, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 18, 1944, Serial No. 522,882

1 Claim.

This application relates to refrigerators and discloses a novel shelf construction in an open top refrigerator.

The appended drawing diagrammatically shows the shelf construction. In this drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view with the top cover closed, and Figure 2 is a similar view with the top cover raised or partly open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation of the shelf sections.

The refrigerator herein shown in the various views comprises an open top receptacle I having a top cover ll, horizontally hinged at l2 at its rear edge to swing up and down. Midway of and across the receptacle is a two-section shelf of heat insulating construction of which the rear section I4 is stationary, and of which the forward section ['5 is movably mounted. The rear shelf section I4 is seated upon flanged bracket 23 and may be received along its side edges in any well known manner as described. For example, additional flanged brackets such as brackets 23 may be used.

The means for movably mounting the forward section consists of a plurality of links comprising, at each side of the shelf, link I6, which movably connects the rear edges of the two shelf sections, the link I! which movably connects the forward edges of the two sections, and the link l8 which movably connects the forward edge of the forward section I5 to the pivot 22 on the top cover. Each link l6 and i1 is pivotally connected to the two sections of the shelf by means of inwardly turned ends thereof inserted in sockets thereof in edge portions of said shelves. Link I8 is similarly connected to the forward section. A flange IQ of the rear section I4 is over-lapped by flange 24 on the rear edge of the forward section to provide a stationary support for the rear edge of the forward section, and a flange 2|, secured to the interior of receptacle I0, receives flange 25 on the forward edge.

It will be observed from Figure 1 that when the top cover H is swung down, the two sections of the shelf form a continuous shelf midway of and across the receptacle, dividing the receptacle into an upper and a lower portion and providing a heat insulating barrier between the upper and lower portions whereby the lower portion may be maintained at a considerably lower temperature than the portion above the shelf; however, when the top II is swung up, the shelf section I5 is raised and supported by the top cover to provide access into the lower portion of the refrigerator, even below the shelf section [4, through the opening 20 normally occupied by the forward section of the shelf, and also providing access to the shelves themselves and any goods thereon.

Now having described the refrigerator construction herein shown, reference should be had to the claim as follows.

I claim:

A receptacle having a top cover horizontally hinged on its rear edge to swing up and down, a two section shelf midway of and across the receptacle below the open top, the rear section being stationary, and means for mounting the forward section, comprising a link movably connecting the rear edges of the forward and rear sections and a link movably connecting the forward edges of the forward and rear sections, and a link movably connecting the forward edge of the forward section to the top cover, whereby the two sections may be alined to form one complete shelf when the top cover is down, and the forward section is raised to be above the rear section when the top cover is raised, to provide access to the receptacle below the rear section through the space normally occupied by the forward section, the-rear edge of the forward section being supported by the front edge of the rear section, when the cover is down.

JOSEPH I-I. ORLEY. 

